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16 March 2016

It's still there, anonymous and behind an unassuming link, but Duchatelet's head-spew still graces the official website in all its styleless glory. Like a lot of people, I've copied it, in case it's deleted or edited.

As it stands it's deluded and unedited, and surely can't have been subject to any professional oversight, even at the basic level of house style {...}. The "Whom" that starts the second paragraph would not have got past any internet-era editor. The claim that RD has met the fans in recent weeks might have raised an eyebrow. My bet is that RD said publish it just as it is, and the comms team said well if that's what you want ...

It's hugely insulting but that's no surprise. What's amazing is how clumsy and counter-productive it is. It's guaranteed to keep the protests going partly because of the insult, but even more because it's a crack in the impassive facade. We can scent blood.

Dear Fans,

Last Sunday, some individuals did not come to The Valley to watch the
game and support the team, but came to create disorder on the pitch and
interfere with the players and the game. Disorder which is, allegedly,
needed to drive change in ownership and management.

Whom would they expect the club to be sold to? How long would a sales
process take? Is it easier to sell the club when it is in League One
rather than Championship?

Some individuals seem to want the club to fail. This is a confused
approach, since following this logic leads to exactly the opposite of
what we all want: staying in the Championship.

Allegations regarding the CEO are misrepresented* and are continuously
used as a method to discredit and fuel personal abuse, hatred and with a
risk to personal safety.

Although certain individuals tell you it does not happen, in recent
weeks Roland Duchatelet has met the fans, the CEO has met with several
different groups of fans and the communications team have attended
several fans meetings. We will continue these meetings and constructive
dialogue with fans.

We have 9 games left in which we have to get 6 points more than our competitors.

The team just got 7 points out of 3 games.

We still have the chance to make it happen with the support of the fans
until the very last game. We must believe it is still possible. Every
football fan knows the 12th man is a crucial factor in the success on
the pitch.

*I think the difference is also because fans don't see themselves as
customers and {…} they go to the restaurants with their families every
week and they go to the cinema but if they aren't satisfied with the
product will they go and scream to the people in charge of it? No they
don't, but they do it with a football club and that's very weird
(meaning unique) because they feel a sense of ownership of a football
club and that's a really difficult balance of how you try and engage
with fans and make them, incorporated into some of the decisions of the
club, {…}.